Endries is the kind of tight end a quarterback falls in love with — always in the right spot, rarely drops the ball, and understands zone windows like a 10-year vet. His route-running is crisp in the short-to-intermediate game and he's eliminated the concentration drops that plagued his freshman year at Cal, but the athletic ceiling is modest: he won't run away from NFL linebackers and his blocking remains a work-in-progress that limits three-down utility. The walk-on-to-starter story is real and the competitive toughness translates, but coordinators will have to get creative deploying him to avoid telegraphing pass plays when he's on the field. Think reliable safety-valve starter in a west coast or play-action system — not a matchup nightmare, but a guy who keeps the chains moving and makes the quarterback's life easier.
- Exceptional hands with elite drop rate improvement — went from 10.3% drop rate as a freshman to 1.3% in 2024, refuses to let balls hit the ground
- Advanced feel for zone coverage soft spots and route-running precision on short-to-intermediate concepts, creating easy windows for his quarterback
- Positional versatility across in-line, H-back, slot, and motion alignments, giving coordinators schematic flexibility
- High football IQ and situational awareness, particularly in scramble drills and adjusting routes mid-play
- Proven production across two offensive systems (Cal and Texas) with 39 consecutive starts, demonstrating durability and dependability
- Run blocking remains a significant liability — poor technique and insufficient power to consistently move defenders in the ground game, which telegraphs play calls
- Modest athletic profile limits separation against man coverage and caps his ceiling as a vertical seam threat
- Limited YAC ability — physical runner who fights for extra yards but lacks the elusiveness and top-end speed to consistently generate big plays after the catch
- Frame appears near its limit at 240-244 lbs, which restricts his ability to add functional strength for blocking improvement
Both are dependable, every-down tight ends who contribute steadily through route precision, reliable hands, and high football IQ rather than elite athletic traits. Schultz carved out a quality NFL career as a trust-based option who won with smarts over speed — that's Endries' most likely path.